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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. present — there
  3. object — an aim
  4. race — humankind
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. ground — a position
  7. present — the time now
  8. object — a thing
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bank — of a river
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. object — to protest
  16. ground — crushed
  17. race — a contest
  18. present — a gift
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bank — for money
  21. bear — the animal
  22. race — the arms race
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. ground — the earth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com